Job Description
Direct Payment Adviser

£15,036.84

21 hours per week, days to be agreed

Salary:

Hours:

Type of contract:

Permanent

Location:

Hybrid Office/remote working with some travel within
Wiltshire and beyond

Reporting to:

Wiltshire Support Service Manager

Purpose of the role
The Direct Payments team works with disabled people and their carers, who may be eligible
for health or social care funding. They provide information, advice and guidance on Direct
Payments and employing Personal Assistants (PA). They work with children and adults of all
ages with a range of disabilities and mental health support needs.

The Information, Advice and Guidance team provides both first instance and longer-term
support, primarily over the telephone, email and online when required.

Overview

•  To provide information, advice and guidance on Direct Payments and employment
law, via telephone, virtually and in person. To work directly with disabled people
and carers to enable them to become good PA employers and to effectively manage
their employment relationships.

•  To support people to budget for and plan the support/care services they require,
empowering them to become confident and competent in securing and managing
those services.

•  Liaise with health and social care staff and the general public when required, within

an engagement, support and promotional programme.

•  To support customers with assessing training needs and signposting to training

providers.

•  To be an active and engaging team member, supporting other team members where

necessary and using own initiative.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities

1.

Direct Payments Information, Advice & Guidance Service

1.1
1.2

1.3

1.4

Receive referrals and ensure prompt communication within process timelines.
Respond effectively to other enquiries from existing customers, their carers and social
care staff, including researching specific queries within required timescales and quality
standards.
Support disabled people and/or carers who will be receiving Direct Payments to recruit
and engage Personal Assistants, providing step by step advice, following a process and
using the learning materials and templates provided.
Support existing employers to manage and resolve technical employment issues, for
example grievances with their PAs to ensure that they receive the appropriate support
to become competent on the issue in the future.

1.5  Have an excellent understanding of internal processes, CRM databases, website,

customer and adviser tools.

1.6  Maintain good sound up to date knowledge of direct payments, personalisation and

employment law assisting the development of team tools and training materials when
required.

1.7  Maintain detailed and accurate records of customer contact and other contacts
ensuring that all required processes and data fields are completed as required.
Responsible for managing a personal workload of enquiries
Ensure customer and adviser tools are updated, understood and promoted and used as
appropriate.

1.8
1.9

1.10  Support with ongoing reviews for all customers using the service.

2.

Service Quality

2.1  Work at all times to Independent Lives quality standards
2.2  Maintain good working knowledge of Independent Lives standard operating procedures

including the feedback process.
Ensure that individual performance targets and objectives for speed, efficiency and
quality are met.
Achieve satisfied customers.

2.3

2.4

3.

Reporting

3.1

Responsible for ensuring that all documented processes are followed, that customer
tools are used appropriately and that all database records are completed accurately
and in a timely way.

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3.2

3.3

3.4
3.5

Liaise with social/health care employees, building positive working relationships
including arranging and conducting specific locality engagements with social
services/NHS departments.
Liaise with other local groups and charities and attend and contribute to service
promotion and events.
As required, contribute to and attend training events for council and NHS staff
Support in gathering customer feedback, including testimonials, assisting in survey
design and collating reviews.

4.

 General

4.1

4.2

The post holder is expected to work within and actively promote the charity’s mission,
vision and values to other staff members, and to comply with all Independent Lives
policies and procedures.
Annual objectives will be set for this role which will be used to monitor and evaluate
performance within the appraisal system.

4.3  Other tasks within the remit of the job may be required from time to time.
4.4
4.5

The job description will be kept under review to ensure that it remains up to date.
The job holder will be consulted about any proposed changes to the role.

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Person Specification

Experience
Knowledge or experience of providing empowering support
preferably within a social services environment or via personal
experience.
Experience of working with Direct Payments users and supporting
set up of PA employment requirements.
Experience of working in a customer service environment
Experience of presenting to groups or delivering training sessions
Experience of researching, signposting, collecting and summarising
information based on people’s individual needs
Experience of working to high quality standards
Experience of working within a quality standards framework
Experience of using Microsoft products including but not limited to
Dynamics CRM, MS Teams & SharePoint.
Experience or ability to explain complex information in an
accessible way
Experience or ability to liaise and promote joint working with
other professionals
Some understanding of adult and child protection issues and the
ability to work within safeguarding protocols, ensuring accurate
recording and reporting
Experience of working with vulnerable adults
Values
Person Centered – placing the customer at the heart of everything
we do
Inclusive - compassionate and understanding of others
Innovative - A good listener and able to develop support to meet
people’s needs
Excellence - Reliable and showing commitment to teamwork
Skills, Knowledge & Aptitudes
Knowledge of Direct Payments and Health and Social Care Budgets
and their legislative framework
Knowledge of basic employment law and the ability to apply that
knowledge in an advice and guidance setting
Strong understanding of the social model of disability and willing
to promote its ethos and principles
Self-motivated with a strong focus on achieving targets and
objectives
Results-oriented, able to manage time and priorities effectively
with a clear focus on setting and achieving high quality outcomes

Essential
✓

Desirable

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Have sufficient numeracy skills to calculate straightforward
customer budgets and rotas etc.
Empathetic with an ability to see things from the other people’s
perspectives
Excellent telephone and written communication skills using plain
English. Attention to clarity and detail of communications;
maintaining accurate documentation.
“Can do” attitude
Other
Well-presented and business-like
Car owner and driver with full, clean driving licence.
Willing to undertake further training relevant to the post

✓

✓

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